National military news

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (Feb. 1, 2019) Three F-35C Lightning II aircraft attached to the "Argonauts" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, the "Rough Raiders" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 and the "Grim Reapers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101, all attached to Commander, Joint Strike Fighter Wing, complete a flight over Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Feb. 1, 2019. Commander, Joint Strike Fighter Wing, headquartered at NASL ensures that each F-35C squadron is fully combat-ready to conduct carrier-based, all-weather, attack, fighter and support missions for Commander, Naval Air Forces. With its stealth technology, advanced sensors, weapons capacity and range, the F-35C will be the first 5th generation aircraft operated from an aircraft carrier. U.S. Navy photo by MCC Shannon E. Renfroe

Strike Fighter Squadron 101 deactivates
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - The last F-35C belonging to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101 “Grim Reapers” left its home base here for Naval Air Station Lemoore as the squadron deactivated after more than seven years of training F-35C pilots and Sailors and Marines.
Grim Reaper origins can be traced back to 1942. Homeported at NAS San Diego, the squadron was originally known as VF-10 and was flying the F4F Wildcat off USS Enterprise (CV 6) in the Pacific during WWII.
The majority of F-35C pilots at VFA-101 will remain in the F-35C community, transferring to VFA-125, VFA-147, VX-9 and Commander, Joint Strike Fighter Wing. Roughly, more than 50 percent of Sailor maintainers from the Grim Reapers will also remain in the F-35C community either at NAS Lemoore with VFA-125 or VFA-147 or at VX-9 at Edwards Air Force Base.
The deactivation of VFA-101 will not change or alter, in any way, the Navy Enlisted Maintenance training that is conducted at the Academic Training Center (ATC) at Eglin AFB and the Navy’s support of Test & Evaluation joint development with the Air Force, Marine Corps and the partners here.
NAS Lemoore is the home-base for Commander, Joint Strike Fighter Wing, the Navy’s F-35C fleet squadrons and the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS), VFA-125 that trains Navy and Marine Corps CVN-based JSF pilots. To accommodate the F-35C program at NAS Lemoore, several facilities were built or remodeled to facilitate specific F-35C requirements with regard to maintenance and training, including a Pilot Fit Facility, Centralized Engine Repair Facility, Pilot Training Center, and a newly-remodeled Hangar. Future projects are planned as additional Navy squadrons transition into the F-35C. Marine Corps F-35C squadrons will be based at MCAS Miramar.

USS America, USS New Orleans to forward deploy to Japan; USS Stethem, USS Wasp to return to U.S.
SASEBO, Japan - The Navy announced recently that amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) and landing platform dock USS New Orleans (LPD 18) will become part of the U.S. 7th Fleet forward-deployed naval forces (FDNF) in Sasebo, Japan. Guided-missile destroyer USS Stethem (DDG 63) will shift its homeport to San Diego for its midlife modernization and amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) will shift its homeport to Norfolk to undergo scheduled maintenance.
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Family PCS travel flexibility
expanded
From Chief of Naval Personnel Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- Navy has expanded the eligible categories for advanced dependent travel (ADT) and delayed dependent travel (DDT), personnel officials announced in September.
For permanent change of station (PCS) moves within the 50 states, the policy allows for dependent travel of up to six months before or after the sponsoring Sailor’s PCS move in the following situations: spousal employment or education, dependents in elementary or secondary school (K-12), dependent enrolled in the Exceptional Family Member Program, or caring for an immediate family member with a chronic or long-term illness. The previous approved policy that allowed DDT for the length of the school year is unchanged by this expansion.
For moves from the 50 states to overseas locations, only DDT will be authorized. For moves from overseas locations to the 50 states, only ADT will be authorized.
Sailors will only receive one housing allowance, either for their location or their dependent’s location, under delayed or advance travel. Sailors or dependents may be assigned government quarters if available, but may not displace a member or dependent in government housing.
Requests for DDT or ADT must be submitted to Navy Personnel Command (PERS-451).
For information and answers to questions on this policy, email NXAG_N130C@navy.mil.



SoCal military news


PACIFIC OCEAN (May 13, 2019) An F/A-18F Super Hornet assigned to the "Black Knights" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 154 launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) while participating in Exercise Northern Edge 2019. Northern Edge is one in a series of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command exercises in 2019 that prepares joint forces to respond to crisis in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by MC3 Andrew Langholf

Carrier Strike Group Nine completes Exercise Northern Edge
by MC2 Pyoung K. Yi
GULF OF ALASKA - USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) and select ships from Carrier Strike Group Nine (CSG-9), along with U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, and Marine Corps service members, successfully concluded Exercise Northern Edge 2019 (NE19), May 24, bringing an end to Alaska’s largest biannual joint-military training exercise.
The training exercise, which ran from May 13–24, was designed to prepare joint forces to respond to crises in the Indo-Pacific. More than 10,000 service members and approximately 250 aircraft from the Air Force, Army, Marines, and Navy, from active duty, reserve, and National Guard units, participated in the exercise.
“This is a very demanding operating area and not something we’re used to,” said Capt. David Fowler, commodore, Destroyer Squadron 23. “We, as a Navy, need to get acclimated to these regions and work in a joint environment to gain a better appreciation for what our sister services do and what they bring to the table, because should we ever need to truly defend our nation against adversaries, it is going to take all of us working together to achieve that objective.”
The exercise, hosted by U.S. Pacific Air Forces, was conducted in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, which encompassed more than 60,000 miles of airspace throughout Alaska, and included support infrastructure from two Air Force bases.
“Northern Edge was special because it took the Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group away from our home waters into an operating area we’re not used to exercising in,” said Rear Adm. Daniel Dwyer, Commander, CSG-9. “The training we received in the Gulf of Alaska will make our strike group a more capable, ready, and lethal naval force.”
NE19 provided Theodore Roosevelt personnel and Carrier Air Wing 11 (CVW-11) an opportunity to sharpen their skills and practice operations and techniques. Also, it gave the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group a chance to strengthen relationships with other U.S. military branches and develop cooperative plans and programs with these organizations.
The Navy is deepening its commitments to Artic security and operations in Alaska. The U.S. is an Artic nation and it is incumbent on the Navy to be ready to operate in this part of the world to ensure freedom of navigation and that the Artic remains conflict free, according to Dwyer.
Along with Theodore Roosevelt and its embarked CVW-11, four additional Navy ships participated in NE19: USS Russell (DDG 59), USS Kidd (DDG 100), USS John Finn (DDG 113), and USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO 187).



SAN DIEGO (April, 2019) The Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Charleston (LCS 18) sails through San Diego Bay in transit to the ship's Naval Base San Diego homeport, successfully completing the ship's maiden voyage from the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama. Charleston is the ninth ship in the littoral combat ship Independence-variant class and is the eleventh LCS to be homeported in San Diego. U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Woody S. Paschall

Navy's newest littoral combat ship USS Charleston arrives in San Diego
by Lt.j.g. Jasmine Spencer, Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron ONE Public Affairs
San Diego (NNS) -- The newest littoral combat ship, the Independence-variant USS Charleston (LCS 18), arrived at its San Diego homeport April 19 after completing its maiden voyage from the Austal USA shipyard in Mobile, Alabama.
Prior to arriving in San Diego, Charleston officially joined the fleet March 2 when it was commissioned in Charleston, South Carolina. During the sail-around, the ship made port calls to Mayport, Florida; Little Creek, Virginia; Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; and Mazatlan, Mexico. The ship also completed a successful transit through the Panama Canal.
“I’m proud to say that the crew did a phenomenal job during Charleston’s maiden voyage, working many long hours to execute the voyage safely,” Cmdr. Christopher K. Brusca, Charleston’s commanding officer, said. “To get Charleston ready for delivery, we’ve been away from our families for nine months, but during that time, the crew maintained an infectious positivity throughout every aspect of bringing this ship to the fleet.”
The ship falls under Commander, Littoral Combat Ship Squadron One (COMLCSRON ONE) control until the future LCS Mine Countermeasures Division is established on the West Coast.
“Charleston is a first-class ship with a first-class crew,” Capt. Matthew McGonigle, commander, COMLCSRON ONE, said. “With Charleston’s arrival, we now have 11 littoral combat ships homeported in San Diego and we couldn’t be more proud of the hard work and positivity our LCS crews continue to demonstrate every single day.”
LCSs are high-speed, agile, shallow-draft, mission-focused surface combatants designed for operations in the littoral environment, yet fully capable of open ocean operations. As part of the surface fleet, LCSs have the ability to counter and outpace evolving threats independently or within a network of surface combatants. Paired with advanced sonar and mine-hunting capabilities, LCSs provide a major contribution, as well as a more diverse set of options to commanders across the spectrum of operations.






United Through Reading®
Deploying? Service members invited to record stories for family at San Diego USO
United Through Reading® is a program helping ease the stress of separation for military families by having deploying or deployed service members read children’s books aloud via DVD for their family to watch at home. This powerful program is available to all military units. It provides service members a chance to make lasting connections from afar. The DVD recording and the book are mailed to the child and family back home.
Service members who are leaving for training can also take part in this program. Being a parent is not required; service members can send the DVD & book(s) to any special child in their life such as younger sister or brother, niece, nephew or godchild.
On the day of the recording, service members are encouraged to dress in the attire they will be wearing while deployed/training, but this is not required. The room is private, so any special message, or those fun reading voices, will only be heard by the recipient of the DVD recording. USO San Diego has books available, or service members can bring their own. Our volunteers will help set up the camera and then leave the room. The DVD can hold a 30 minute recording.
Please e-mail USO San Diego Staff Member Nichole Duarte at utr@usosandiego.org to make your appointment. This program is offered at both USO San Diego centers.